An Instant Is Shorter Than a Moment
An instant is a point in time with no duration. English also uses the word for anything that needs no waiting, from coffee to messaging.
An instant is a point in time so short it has no length. A moment is loosely a short period; an instant is meant to be the point itself. Advertising borrowed the word for anything requiring no wait — instant coffee, instant credit, instant messaging — and made it the strongest promise of speed English has.
- A very short point in time. *In an instant.*
- Immediate. *Instant access.*
- Requiring no preparation. *Instant noodles.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | instant | For an instant. |
| Adjective | instant | Instant relief. |
| Adverb | instantly | He replied instantly. |
| Adjective | instantaneous | An instantaneous reaction. |
| Related | instance | In this instance. |
How it is used in a sentence
- For an instant nobody moved.An extremely short pause.
- The app gives instant results.Marketing use.
- He recognised her instantly.Adverb.
Time words, from short to long
- Instant — a point with no duration
- Moment — a very short period
- While — an unspecified stretch, usually longer
- Spell — a period of some activity or weather
- Era — a long period with a character of its own
From Latin *instans*, standing near or pressing, from *instare*, to stand upon. The idea is of a time so close it is pressing on you.
Instant or moment?
An instant is shorter and more precise. Careful writers use instant for a point and moment for a brief period.
What does *instance* have to do with it?
They share a root. An instance is a case standing before you, which is why *for instance* introduces an example.